Geobrugg Fixed and Floating Waterside Protection Barriers

Geobrugg is engaged in the design, production and installation of waterside security systems and floating barriers which serve to protect vulnerable harbour and port facilities from intruders and terrorist attacks.

Fixed and floating high-tensile steel barriers

Geobrugg’s primary waterside security products are fixed and floating barriers made from high-tensile steel wire of a stainless-steel quality. These barriers are characterized by a high cutting resistance, high energy absorption, and a long durability with low maintenance even in tough marine conditions.

The performance of Geobrugg protection systems is tested not only in the laboratory as standard, but also in 1:1 scale crash tests − always according to the most stringent applicable guidelines. At the same time the performance parameters of all steel wire products are being regularly monitored by independent testing institutes.

With its worldwide presence, Geobrugg is always close to its customers and is subsequently able to offer a comprehensive level of after-sale support services including engineering, manufacturing, installation, final inspection and long-term maintenance.

Waterside protection barriers

Waterside barriers, developed by Geobrugg Security Engineering in collaboration with Harbor Offshore Barriers, protect sensitive infrastructures such as oil and LNG terminals, ships, harbours and ports, nuclear facilities, dams, bridge piers and waterside industrial complexes from a range of waterborne threats. Threats which waterside barriers provide protection against can range from simple intrusion or infiltration to a high-speed or high-tonnage water-borne improvised explosive device (WBIED).

There are two forms of waterside protection barriers, the fixed security barrier (FSB) and the floating port security barrier (PSB).

Waterside fixed security barriers

The FSB can be attached to existing structures or driven piles. High-tensile SATURN nets from Geobrugg are fixed to the piles, without resorting to a wear-intensive floating construction. The protection system can span widths of up to 60m, sustain large tidal differences and be resistant to wind, currents and corrosion (seawater). Such fixed security barriers are currently in use in some of the toughest maritime environments in the world, such as the Persian Gulf.

Floating port security barrier

The PSB consists of independent modules – the high-tensile MAXX nets from Geobrugg – which are connected to each other so as to absorb the water movements and permit compensation of the changes in level. This system is very suitable for gates due to its low drag. More than 30km of floating barriers have already been successfully installed by Harbor Offshore Barriers and Geobrugg.

Floating and fixed waterside protection barriers

Key benefits of Geobrugg Waterside protection barriers include:

Proven high boat-stopping capability (realistic full-scale test)

Over or under passing of attacking boats is not possible

Low maintenance, high durability and easy inspection

Good security visibility (no hiding behind barrier)

UV, fire, blast and gunshot resistance

Designed to specific needs and local conditions

Impact tests conducted on Geobrugg waterside barriers include:

Full-scale tests conducted off the coast of Pascagoula, MS in 2007

Remote controlled speed boats

Motors not switched off on impact (as in reality)

Test barriers instrumented and monitored

Tests witnessed by the US Navy and John Hopkins University

Eight full-scale tests executed with impacts of up to 40kn

SATURN net, MAXX net and brake rings successfully tested

Numerical model calibrated with back calculation

Strong and durable waterside protection against WBIEDs

FSBs offer a very strong and durable protection against boat attacks which can be combined with PSBs as gates. Their high energy-absorption capacity has been proven in a realistic full-scale test with remote-controlled boats. Both systems are characterized by long durability, high corrosion resistance, easy inspection and low maintenance. Since 2005 over 30km of PSB and FSB systems have been installed in tough conditions around the world.

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Despite the measures introduced by the EU, Operation ATALANTA or Nato's Operation Ocean Shield, a high risk of piracy remains for ships, especially in the Gulf of Aden, off the African coast, and in the Indian Ocean, as evidenced by the rising number of pirate attacks and the extent of the damage they caused in 2010.

Related Projects

Press Release

Despite the measures introduced by the EU, Operation ATALANTA or Nato's Operation Ocean Shield, a high risk of piracy remains for ships, especially in the Gulf of Aden, off the African coast, and in the Indian Ocean, as evidenced by the rising number of pirate attacks and the extent of the damage they caused in 2010.

The new Geobrugg FOXX floating boat barrier was successfully launched during the naval defence exhibition, Navdex, in Abu Dhabi. The FOXX floating boat barrier is the newest development in waterside protection for critical infrastructure like military installations, nuclear power plants, dams, co